<b>Dry matter composition of the sorghum forage in different arranging of plants in semiarid of the Minas Gerais state</b>

Abstract

The work was performed during 2006/07 and 2007/08 agricultural years on North of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, with the objective of evaluate three plant densities and three rows spacing of sorghum cultivars in semiarid climatic conditions. In each year it was made experiments on contiguous area, using the row spacing of 50 cm, 70 cm and 90 cm. For each experiment it was evaluated three sowing densities - 100 thousand, 140 thousand and 180 thousand plants ha-1 – plus sorghum cultivars. The experiments were conducted in completely randomized block design in factorial 4x3, with three replications, with four cultivars and three sowing density. Initially it was made analysis of variance with the data obtained. After, it was made a joint analysis of variance with three experiments in each year and other considering all data obtained in experiments. The row spacing reduction and the sowing density increase propitiates higher plants height. The increase of the density in the 50 and 70 cm row spacing provides higher lodging. The alterations in the structural components of sorghum cultivars are influenced by the prevalent climatic conditions in agricultural year. The stems, leaves and panicles percentages in dry matter are affected by cultivars, row spacing and densities.